Like a well seasoned traveler, I went to bed by 9:00 last night knowing I had to get up at 3:30 this morning. I was up at 2:00. Not because I wanted to, but because the person in the room next to me needed to watch a war movie late into the night and the walls were paper-thin.  Perhaps he/she has insomnia. But, at least I didn’t have to rush to be ready to leave.  And who cares? I’m on holiday. I splurged on a taxi to take me to the airport at 4:30 then strolled around Heathrow looking through barred gates into shops. Nothing was open. Including security. But…

I love the show on CBS called “The Amazing Race”. I also know as much as I love to travel, I would never apply to be on that show. The constant rush/wait of airports, buses, hotels…exhausting. That’s how all international travel goes however. Days 1 & 2 of my big adventure was no different. I left Tampa last night at 6:30 p.m.  This is my 11th transatlantic flight since 1997 and I think I slept on 2 of those. I did not sleep last night. We arrived at Gatwick Airport, London at 8:00 this morning. My flight to Barcelona is at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning leaving from Heathrow Airport, London.…